Speakers at a meeting organised at the Maris Stella College here on Friday termed as scientifically baseless the predictions of deluge or total destruction in the year 2012 and that there was no need for harbouring fears of any kind in this respect.

Speaking as a chief guest on the occasion, BARC scientist Suggisetti Praveen said from different places the world over, there were many doubts and concerns expressed over the Big Bang experiment but nothing of that sort happened.

The same would be the case with the 2012 doom predictions which was evident from the fact that there was no scientific evidence so far to substantiate that, he said.

Mr. Praveen, who was part of the 30-member scientists' team from India to participate in the Big Bang experiment in 2008, said there was a need for awareness to be created on cultivating positive spirit in the face of unfounded and baseless fears.

He said in the 21st century known for its rapid advancements in science and technology, it was not correct to allow such fears to spread and the world community was better equipped than ever before to tackle disasters.

Stating that thousands and lakhs of mini Big Bang experiments were continuing without a break, Mr. Praveen said it only served to show the world that the scientific community was emerging stronger in delivering safer technologies for the betterment of mankind. He said he was also one of the scientists currently involved in the Big Bang experiment conducted in Switzerland.

N-capabilities

Regarding the nuclear capabilities of India, Mr. Praveen said India would stand in the top 10 countries in the world in this respect and that nuclear reactors in India were a lot safer in terms of withstanding and preventing disasters of the kind witnessed in Chernobyl in Russia and Fukushima in Japan.

M.V. Basaveswara Rao, Head of the Department of Chemistry, Krishna University, and P. Japamalai, Principal, spoke.